US start-up Driver, backed by Li Ka-shing, matches cancer patients worldwide with clinical trials and treatments in America, China and Singapore

An American start-up backed by Hong Kong’s richest man Li Ka-shing on Thursday officially launched a paid service for cancer patients worldwide, matching them with suitable treatments offered in the United States, China and Singapore.

For a one-off fee of US$3,000 (HK$23,500) and a monthly subscription of US$20, Driver will provide a list of the latest available cancer treatments, including clinical trials, at more than 30 institutions in the three countries, and monitor patients’ outcomes if they sign up for any of the options.

With the monthly fee, Driver will keep tabs on the patient’s condition and suggest follow-up care if needed.

The company, founded by two doctors, had been in talks with the two medical schools in Hong Kong – at Chinese University and the University of Hong Kong – to include their trials in its database.

Petros Giannikopoulos, Driver’s co-founder and president, said the company, which was formed three years ago, aimed to narrow the gap between what people were told or knew about cancer treatments and what options there actually were.

“We want to give people access to all the information out there,” the pathologist explained. “Don’t limit it to just what this one person in this one hospital can offer you.”